Justified Rage
by Blue Deity
Summary: Maya starts going out with Edgeworth and everything's fine first,then Maya changes a bit, but it's nothing major.  However Phoenix soon comes to learn there's something dark going on. Inspired by a kink meme story. My anti-M/M fic. Oneshot!


**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Ace Attorney Series or any of its characters, all elements belong to Capcom.

**Notes: **I got this idea when I heard of a story on the kink meme where Edgeworth and Maya are together, and he abuses her. All knowing about this story did was fuel my already burning hatred for Maya/ Edgeworth. Anyway, it got me wondering what Nick's reaction would be to finding out that Edgeworth is beating Maya. I love therapy.

_**Justified Rage**_

It happened kind of suddenly, Edgeworth just out of nowhere asked Maya out one day after a trial. Phoenix was _really_ surprised, he had no idea that his friend had been harbouring feelings for his precious little sidekick. He was even more surprised when Maya accepted. Though I guess it shouldn't be **that **surprising; **all **the ladies love Edgeworth, why should Maya be different? Maya was absolutely beaming the couple of days leading up to the date. She even went and bought a new black sequined dress for the occasion

"You're taking this date seriously aren't ya Maya." Phoenix grinned from the couch as he watched her dashing around the apartment the night of the date, making sure she looked presentable.

"Well, of course Nick!" She shouted at him, stopping for a second from her tizzy to glare at him. "Miles always looks so good, I wanna look nice for him."

"Oh!" Phoenix grinned. "So it's 'Miles' now, it was always 'Mr. Edgeworth' before." He chuckled as Maya stuck her tongue out to him and retreated into the bathroom for the twelfth time that night. Phoenix sat back on the couch and picked up the remote when the doorbell ring. When he opened the door he found Edgeworth, in all his prim and proper glory, wearing the most ornate dinner jacket Phoenix had _ever _seen. "Geez Edgeworth, I'd have thought you would have dressed up!" He said sarcastically. Edgeworth gave a low chuckle.

"You're wit is as sharp as always Wright."

"Hmph. Maya, Prince Charming's here!" Phoenix called. He turned back to Edgeworth. "Treat her good buddy, she' a _very _special girl."

"No worries Wright, no worries." Maya eventually came bounding down the stairs. She froze and her face turned red when she saw him. He gave a cordial bow.

"Come my dear, your chariot awaits." He said extending his hand. Slowly and nervously, Maya took it as Phoenix gave a "Phhh" sound directed towards Edgeworth's dramatics.

"Don't wait up for me, 'kay Nick?" Maya winked as her date lead her through the door. Phoenix stepped out into the hallway and waved as they left.

"Have fun you guys!"

* * *

Phoenix didn't have much faith in Maya making a relationship with Edgeworth work. Yeah **he **asked **her **out, so he had to have feelings for her tucked away behind all the nonchalance. But they were just far to different in his opinion. The only thing they really had in common was the fact they were both over-obsessed with a kid's television show. Kind of a shallow and shaky foundation to build a relationship on, but he guessed there were worse things to fall in love over. It was to his utter shock and amazement that she came home from her date smiling from ear to ear, saying they already had another date planned. A phone conversation with Edgeworth the next day confirmed that they had a great time and now he was planning on taking her dancing. Phoenix couldn't help but laugh at the image of Maya standing on Edgeworth's feet as they waltzed to some really over the top orchestral score.

* * *

Their relationship progressed fast. Maybe a little too fast for Phoenix's liking. Within a month, Maya was spending nearly every night at Edgeworth's place, a month after that, all her stuff was over there, they were living together so quickly. Sure, sometimes Phoenix felt a little hurt that she'd leave so soon after work and that they never hung out anymore, and the office just seemed so big and empty without her. But he was genuinely glad that his two best friends had found happiness together, and Maya was _really _happy, she spent most of her time at the office smiling and humming to herself. It was nice to see her like that, given everything that happened to her. So, he was very supportive of them, despite little Pearls' assertions that he had to go get his 'special someone' back from the 'bad guy' that kidnapped her.

* * *

He eventually started seeing changes in Maya though. The first was the most noticeable, she came to work one morning dressed in some frilly business suit that didn't really suit her, it was more like something Franziska would wear.

"Morning Maya?" Phoenix said from his desk when he heard the door open. "Did Franziska give you a makeover?" He teased. Maya self consciously looked down at the get up and tugged at the skirt.

"Y-you don't like it Nick?" She said sadly. "M-Miles said that I should try to look more professional if I'm going to work at a law firm. Heh, heh, even if it **is **only yours Nick." She giggled, it was definitely a Maya kind of giggle, but it sounded forced to Phoenix.

"Oh, n-no, i-it's just weird seeing you wearing something like that." He stammered. Maya stepped into the office and started filing away papers. There was an awkward silence, It was really strange for Maya to be concentrating on her work so much. He was going to ask her what was wrong, when he noticed something even odder than how she was dressed.

"Umm, Maya, where's your magatama?" Maya nearly dropped the folder she was holding and looked to him with very tired, pleading eyes.

"Oh!" She gasped, placing her hand to the part of her chest where the jewel usually rested. Her hand tightened around the fabric of her jacket. "...N-Nowhere, I-I guess I left it home." Phoenix gave her a suspicious look before deciding to drop the subject.

* * *

Not too long after that, during what was otherwise a typical day at the office, something **really **strange happened, something that started the gears turning in Phoenix's head that maybe something wasn't right.

"Maya, the coffee done yet?" He asked, going over the file of their latest client.

"Oh sure!" She dropped what she was doing, and poured him out a cup at the kitchen stand. "Here, you go." She said with a smile, placing the piping hot cup in front of him. "Phoenix."

"Thanks." He put the cup to his lips. "Hey, wait, what did you just call me?" He asked.

"What? 'Phoenix' that's your name right?" She replied with a shrug.

"B-but Maya." He got to his feet. "What happened to 'Nick'?" He demanded. He really couldn't remember the last time she referred to him by his full name.

"Umm, Miles says that I shouldn't be too friendly with my boss." She said lowly.

"What?" He grunted. Maya quickly looked at the clock. "B-But Maya..." He began to whine.

"Well, quittin' time!" She chirped, cutting him off, and was gone before Phoenix could say anything else. He just stood by his desk, completely at a loss for words, he knew however, something wasn't just not right; something was _very _wrong.

* * *

'Phoenix' soon turned to 'Mr. Wright' and along with that came the insistence that he call her 'Ms. Fey.' Phoenix asked both Edgeworth and Maya about it, but they both just said it was for the sake of 'professionalism', and 'decorum' which made no damn sense considering Phoenix was Maya's boss and he never once demanded professionalism from his assistant. Plus the girl had all the decorum of a drunken elephant.

* * *

Then, the early morning phone calls started.

'M-Mr. Wright?" Maya **never **sounded comfortable calling him that. "I-I can't come in today, I'm not feeling well." Then she hung up. This happened several times over the course of the next few weeks until finally Phoenix lost his patience.

"I'm sorry Maya, but we're working on a really important case right now and I **need **your help." He said. "If you need to lie down, your old bed's still here, but I can't let you have the day off."

"M-Mr. Wright" Maya croaked on the other end of the phone, she almost sounded relieved. "O-Okay, I'll be in soon!"

When Maya stepped into the office twenty minutes later, he could just tell something happened to her. She looked out of it, she was wearing dark glasses even though it was pretty cloudy and her usually bare arms were completely covered. This wasn't Maya his best friend, this was something different.

"Alright, I'm here Mr. Wright." She said with her head drooping.

"Maya, you've been acting really weird lately. Is there something wrong?" He asked in the tone he reserved only for her when he was worried.

"N-No, ev-eveything's fine." She stammered. Phoenix stood dead in front of her and put his hands on her shoulder.

"Maya I know you, and I know you're not fine. Listen, you can tell me anything, you've got to know that, is there trouble at home?" Maya's mouth dropped and she gasped before coming to herself, bowing her head and shaking it, her lip quivering. Her glasses slipped on her nose, she immediately fixed them. Phoenix's mouth went dry as a thought hit him, a disturbing, heinous thought, and he didn't **want **to believe it, but it made sense. "M-Maya." He managed to choke out ever so slowly. "Take off those glasses."

"Wh-what?"

"I said take off those glasses." Maya shook her head.

"I-I can't M-Mr- Pho-. I-I can't do it Nick!" Despite her words, she put up little resistance when he took them hold and removed them from her face. Sure enough, just as he thought, there was a big ugly bruise marring the skin beneath Maya's pretty dark eyes.

"Maya!" He roared, already angrier than he could remember being in a _very _long time. "What the HELL happened to you?" Maya backed away from him, she was scared, she was panicking.

"N-Nothing, nothing happened to me!" She croaked. "I-I fell down the stairs that's all."

"Eye first?" Phoenix spat, he already knew what was going on. He'd seen this stuff before, Without a word, he grabbed Maya's wrist.

"Nick?" He rolled up her sleeve to find even more bruises, and cuts and even burn marks.

"Maya?" He gasped.

"I-It's not want you think Nick!" She insisted, wresting her arm from his firm but gentle grip. "I'm just really clumsy that's all!" There were tears pouring from her eyes.

"Bull." Phoenix grunted. Maya threw her hands onto his chest.

"P-please Nick, y-you can't tell anyone okay? They-they'll take him away if you do!" She begged. "I-I can't live without him, I-I love him and he loves me!"

"Love? Love? That bastard brainwash you into thinking this is what love is?" Phoenix seethed, motioning towards Maya's many injuries. "No one who loves you would do this to you Maya!" Phoenix tried to settle down his anger, Maya was hurt and confused, if he wanted her to trust him with this; yelling at her wasn't helping.

"Nick, please I'm begging you, just leave it alone! I-I know it looks bad but, I can get through to him you know, I only need a little more time. H-He just get's mad someimes. I'm sure he'll stop hitting me when he sees how much I love him." She tried to convince him with a very weak smile, she was still crying. Phoenix was grinding his teeth to the point where enamel was scraping off. All Phoenix wanted to do was kill the bastard, but he agreed not to do anything yet, he could have him arrested but if Maya didn't press charged, nothing would come of it, he had to convince her that what Edgeworth was doing was wrong, and he didn't have any idea how to do that.

* * *

Long after Maya had left for the night, Phoenix was sitting alone, thinking about how everything's been turned upside down. He had wanted to see Edgeworth for so long, they were best friends, and now, all he wanted to do was hurt him. He was on the couch, sort of spacing out when his cell phone started buzzing. Picking it up from the nearby end table, he saw he had a text message, from Edgeworth.

'Wright, I regret to inform you that Maya will not be continuing her employ at your law firm. Consider this her resignation.

Edgeworth'

"Ergghh! DAMMIT" Phoenix grunted as he tossed the phone across the room. He hated how his hands were tied, he had to do **something.** Maya was like his kid sister, for God's sake, it was his duty to both Maya and Mia to keep anyone from hurting her. So, what would a big brother do to the coward who was beating his beloved sister?

* * *

It didn't take Phoenix long to get to Edgeworth's office the next day, he practically flew on his bike, all the extra adrenaline. He marched through the building, finding Gumshoe standing outside Edgeworth's door.

"Oh, hey pal." He grinned, obviously completely oblivious to what was going on. "Heh, heh, you're lookin' kinda scary today." He chuckled with sweat rolling down his cheek. Gumshoe was bigger than Phoenix, but the knew he could intimidate him when he needed to.

"I'm here to see Edgeworth." Phoenix said as calmly as he could.

"S-Sorry pal, but he's really busy today." Gumshoe said.

"Dick!" He grunted, already losing his patience. The good natured detective shrank out of the way. "I-I'm sorry." Phoenix smiled, realising he had no reason to be angry at Gumshoe, he took some money out of his wallet and handed it to him. "You and Maggey go have a nice lunch together, on me, okay?" Gumshoe's eyes lit up as he took the money.

"G-gee thanks pal." He said happily before almost skipping his way down the hall.

"Good." Phoenix grunted to himself as he turned to Edgeworth's door. "No interruptions."

* * *

Phoenix threw open the door. Edgeworth, who had been doing something at his desk, looked up with a disinterested look on his face.

"Wright? What the devil are you doing here? I'm busy." Phoenix ignored Edgeworth's question, supressing his rage, he simply marched to the desk and slammed his fist down onto it, causing everything on it to jump from the impact. Edgeworth's precious Steel Samurai action figure nearly fell of the desk before it's panic striken owner fumbled and caught it. "Wright, what the hell?" He shouted indgnantly as he cradled his collectable. Was he serious? Was he joking? Or was he just that stupid, how could he **not** know what this was about?

"I know what you've been doing to Maya." Phoenix said simply and mechanically. A smirk came to Edgeworth's pompous lips.

"Whatever is the matter Wright, are you jeal-." Edgeworth never had time to finish his taunt before Phoenix's knuckle connected with his jaw, causing blood to fly from his mouth. Without hesitating, Pheonix grabbed Edgeworth buy his collar, lifted him to his feet and with strength he didn't know he had, slammed him into his adjacent bookshelf.

"You piece of shit!" He seethed as he looked up into his **former** best friend's terrified eyes. "I've seen the bruises, the cuts! Th-the burn marks! Did you _really_ think I wouldn't notice? Takes a real big man to beat up a girl that's barely five feet tall doesn't it?" Phoenix punched him again, causing his head to slame into the bookshelf. "Maya's convinced you love her Edgeworth, and right now, I can't do anything about that; but I swear, if you lay one _finger..." _He slammed him back on the bookshelf. "...one finger on her ever again, I will make it the sorriest thing you've done in your entire life!" Edgeworth went to say something, but Phoenix shut him up by tightening his grip on his collar. "Do. I. Make. Myself. **CLEAR**?" Clearly frightened, Edgeworth nodded. Phoenix released his grip on him and allowed him to sink to the ground, blood coming from his mouth, a bruise already forming on his cheek. Justice. Phoenix noticed his hand was bleeding, his knuckles were skinned from the connection they made with Edgeworth's face, he reached down and ripped of his cravat, used it to wipe his hands, then threw it into Edgeworth's face. Phoenix turned and headed for the door, stopping when he reached it. He turned to look over his shoulder at him "Mark my words Edgeworth, I'll see you burn for this!" He left Edgeworth there, to soak in everything he said, he had a lot of work to do, but it'll be cold day in hell before he allowed **anyone** to hurt Maya!

**END**


End file.
